History
Maret has evolved considerably since its inception nearly 100 years ago. Founded by Louise Maret in 1911 as a French primary school for girls, by 1952 the School had undergone substantial change. That year, Maret moved to our present home on the former Woodley Oaks Estate on Cathedral Avenue, expanding our focus to become a coeducational, college preparatory school.
The history of our property is rich. Philip Barton Key, the uncle of Francis Scott Key, bought the 250-acre wooded estate in 1797. In 1803, he built Woodley, the Federal-style hilltop house that would later become the “summer White House” for two U.S. presidents. Over the years, Woodley was home to several Cabinet Secretaries and General George Patton. The last private owner of Woodley was Henry Stimson, Secretary of War during the Roosevelt and Truman administrations. Stimson helped direct the American war effort from his study, which is still actively used as part of our library.
For more about the history of Woodley visit the Woodley Society website at www.woodleysociety.org. The Woodley Society comprises a group of Maret students, faculty, and parents who, since 1995, have been researching Woodley in archives, libraries, and historic houses throughout the Washington, D.C. area and beyond.
Of course, the former Woodley residence is but one part of the impressive Maret campus. Extensive improvements and expansions to the School’s physical facilities have continued over the years. The 1999 building program culminated in a new Middle School facility; a renovated Upper School, expanded Lower School, new state-of-art theatre, improved labs and offices, and an enlarged artificial turf field were completed in 2005.
Along with our physical progress, our mission and core values have evolved and taken root. The values instilled from our very start continue to nurture our philosophy today: respect, integrity, the individual, connectedness, creativity, excellence, and joy.
